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8/12/2019 Empowering Urban Governance
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EMPOWERING URBAN GOVERNANCE: THE ROLE
OF DECENTRALIZATION AND PARTICIPATORY
PLANNING
Introduction
If democratic decentralization is used as a device to give autonomy and political space to minorities, then there
remain important questions about its effectiveness in ensuring fully inclusive participation, providing an equal
standard of public services and economic development throughout the national territory, and protecting the civil
and political rights of all groups.
If the decentralization is based on culturally defined areas then, unless there is complete homogeneity in each local
area, the system will create new minorities within minorities, who may be subjected to domination by localelites who capture power by democratic means.
Democratic participation at the local level prevent elite capture and/or more conflict between majority/minority
groups within a decentralized system of government. Participation may be defined as covering a range of
activities, both representative and direct or community based.
Within the framework of new decentralization policies, participatory planning allows local government to be
more responsive to public which in turn will deliver a better service. More importantly, the characteristic of
participatory planning that trying to involve all development stakeholders can minimize potential conflict among
those involved in development
In India, the enactment of 73rd and 74th amendment to the Constitution is noteworthy. The amendments were
made to ensure decentralization of planning, devolution of power at local level initiated to empower people to take
action and participate at various stages of plan making and plan implementation.
Enhancing participation at the local level through decentralization is clearly not sufficient in itself to make
governments more equitable, inclusive or responsive. Participatory activities can only effectively influence the
outcomes or performance of local government if they are mediated through mechanisms of accountability, which
ensure that the governments act in accordance with the wishes of representative bodies and implement authorized
spending policies correctly. Transparency, or open government which gives citizens full information on what is
being decided and how, is a kind of public accountability mechanism which only operates in systems which
already have the basics of democratic accountability in place.
Case Study: Delhi
Participatory planning is very sought after concept in the domain of planning in current practices. Delhi is a very
progressive city and the city planners and administrators are very active in adopting and implementing current
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best practices across the world. There are many practices in Delhi which is seen as a good example of participatory
planning. Since 2000, urban decentralization has mainly come in the form of the highly visible Bhagidari or
partnership scheme, inviting city residents to participate in a process of dialogue and the discovery of joint-
solutions. Also does the process of preparation of Local Area Plan an initiative of Municipal Corporation of
Delhi to realize the provisions of Master Plan for a planned development taking into account the existing ground
realities.
Need for Study
The need of the study has arisen due to the combined effect of various factors like lack of awareness and
understanding of the concept and applicability of the participatory planning processes. Sometimes it seems more
or less customary or ad hoc in nature in the practice of participation that is taking place in the current scenario
where people are awakening to the need and demand for more participatory planning approach. Also, now after
the amendments, the planning and development is mostly done by a more democratic body i.e. urban local bodies
(ULBs), the expectation for greater public engagement has raised.
Objective
The institutional forms of participation must (Feng and Wright):
1. Deal with specific, tangible problems;
2. Involve ordinary people affected by these problems, as well as local officials, through a bottom-up
process; and
3. Resolve these problems through a deliberative approach.
Three institutional design features (Fung and Wright, 2003: 15) ensue from these principles:
1. The devolution of decision-making power to local and inter-sectoral action units;
2. The coordination and accountability of these local units before a higher political body; and
3. The restructuring of local government in accordance with the imperatives created by the new
participatory arrangements.
Together, these factors define a model of successful participatory governance. It also requires a mechanism of
accountability, that is to say, devolution of powers and resources to new political entities, but also recentralization
at an intermediary level.
Objectives thus will include:
1. To understand the operationalization of decentralization and participatory planning.
2. To assess its current status in Delhi.
3. To identify issues related to decentralization and participatory planning in plan making and
implementation.
4. To suggest recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of urban governance.
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Scope
The scope would include studying the concepts of decentralization and participatory planning and its concept.
The conflicting paradigm of the two concepts will be analyzed. Its need in creating a good urban governance will
be highlighted. Also its need in plan making and implementation will be undertaken.
Methodology
1. Establishing the need of the study, identification of aim, objective and scope.
2. Literature Study
Decentralization: Study of 73rd and 74th amendments to the Constitution
Public Participation
Participatory Planning in Delhi
3. Case Studies
4. Parameter and framework for analysis
Primary and secondary data collection
5. Data Analysis
6. Recommendations
References
Crook, R. : Decentralisation and Good Governance, IDS Working Paper 130, June 2001
Mehra, D. : What Has urban decentralization Meant? A case Study of Delhi, Pacific Affairs, Volume 86, Number
4, December 2013, pp. 813-833(21)
Patsias C., Latendresse A. and Bherer L. : Participatory Democracy, Decentralization and Local Governance: the
Montreal Participatory Budget in the light of Empowered Participatory Governance, 2012 Urban Research
Publications Limited.
Chakrabarty B. : Participatory Governance In India: The Field Experience, ICSSR Journal of Abstracts and
Reviews
Sharma S. N. : Participatory Planning in Plan Preparation: A Case of Delhi, 2013, American Planning Association